Meet the Open House Artisans!

Posted by KellyC | 12 November 2012

Our 25th Anniversary Open House--featuring more than 12 local vendors--is right around the corner! Bring the whole family and shop locally for the holidays! Want to get to know the artisans and their wares a little better before the event? Read on!

Beth Kerschen

Beth blends architecture, urban details, and fleeting moments to tell a layered story that would not be possible individually. She creates multi-faceted scenes focused on representing the essence of Portland and its rich urban culture. She photographs the images, composes the imagery together, and then creates hand-printed photo-etching art prints, letterpress cards, bookmarks and silkscreen tote bags of the scenes.

BT Livermore

BT is an illustrator, screen printer, avid letterist, sign painter, and all around creative force. He is a member of Magnetic North, a collective studio in NE Portland. He will be selling various screen printed goods, such as prints, calendars, and journals, as well as hand painted wooden art pieces. BT was commissioned by PCS to illustrate the poster for Lauren Weedman's upcoming show, "The People's Republic of Portland."

Caitlin Sills

Caitlin has been drawn to trash her whole life. Estate sales, free boxes, bargain

bins and garage sales have always brightened her days. So, it is no surprise that

jewelry, old sweaters, metal cast-offs and other ephemera into unique pieces of handcrafted jewelry, accessories and note cards. She emphasizes the use of salvaged and reused materials in her work which results in wares which are distinctly one of a kind.

Cynthia Nawrocki

Beautiful handmade jewelry featuring natural gemstones, sterling silver and crystals by Cynthia Nawrocki - A great selection of earrings, necklaces, bracelets and eyeglass chains to fit into a variety of styles and budgets. Just in time for gift

giving. Custom orders available.

Jane Hoffman

Jane is a local artisan focused on using salvaged and recycled supplies in her crafts. She makes a full array of accessories (which include pendants, barrettes, felt brooches, and adorable hair elastics). You'll also find some stamped gift tags for all occasions and a wide variety of colorful magnets. Everything is hand cut, stamped, glued, sewed, or otherwise fashioned by Jane herself. Each item is unique because of this, but that's the beauty in choosing a handcrafted item. Jane worked for Portland Center Stage for three years as the Armory Café assistant manager, and is a returning artisan at the PCS Holiday Oasis!

Jen LaMastra

Jen is a wearable art sculptor who likes to find ordinary undesired waste, and transform it into fashion and accessories. Her newest collection, Disremembered, is a haunting romance with once forgotten objects. It is made entirely out of reclaimed materials scavenged from the DUMP. The ear wires are hand formed recycled sterling silver. Jen hopes her work positively delights people to look at their behavior with trash, and see it as an opportunity for change.

Kira Trelor

As far back as Kira Trelor can remember,

she has had a love of fashion. Her mom

began teaching her how to make jewelry in high school, and she fell in love with it!

Kira has since continued to increase her skill level and learn new techniques in order to create in new ways. She has found wire wrapping to be her absolute favorite! When Kira creates with wire, she enters into a meditative state and does not return until

she has created something beautiful. Kira

puts a lot of love into every piece of jewelry

she creates and feels truly blessed to be able

to share it with the world. Her jewelry is heavily influenced by the styles of ancient cultures (especially Egyptian culture), as

well as the southwestern styles of Mexico,

and, of course, the bohemian trends of the

1970′s. Enjoy!

Marion Prichard

Marion took up beading with her daughter when she was a teenager as a way to stay connected with her. Her daughter is now 32 and off doing interior design. Now she has taken the beading to a new level of metalsmithing. Marion makes jewelry from flat-sheet silver and copper. She also casts in metal from mini wax sculpture. Her latest is pounding metal backs-plashes for kitchens. Backs-plashes can be colorful as well. The color is created with chemicals so she can also put the title of "chemist" on her resume, since she mixes chemicals in beakers and creates smoke and horrible-smelling things that way too. When not making jewelry, Marion also volunteers as an usher at PCS. Come see what she does, it's great fun!

Meghan McNeal

Ever since Portland Center Stage moved into the Armory, Meghan has been helping out backstage. Interested in taking old techniques and patterns and creating objects for the home and body that capture where the techniques have been, Meghan brings them up to date for a somewhat whimsical feel. The thought of

her time at PCS and the ages

that have come before us to

bring A Midsummer Night's

Dream to the stage have been

the motivation behind what she

is bringing to share. Her pictures show just a peek at the variety

that Meghan says will eventually come. Meghan hopes you enjoy

the show and what everyone has brought to share with you.

Melissa Freels

Using a variety of materials—some new and

some recycled—Melissa creates mixed media earrings and pendants that are classy, timeless pieces with a pop culture twist. Her designs incorporate a variety of papers, including

Japanese Chiyogami paper or Origami paper

and game piece tiles; each piece also includes sterling, gold-filled, or silver-plated components. Gallery.etsy.com

Shana Brianne Carr

Shana recently graduated from Portland State with a Bachelor of Arts in Theater, International Studies, and Psychology. While in school, she basically studied everything that would allow her to become a spy. Alas she is not a spy. But she sure does like to travel and act and make crafty things, which is pretty cool too! She currently works as a bartender at Portland Center Stage and will mostly be selling necklaces made out of antique skeleton and clock keys. She will also be selling some ‘rawrtastic’ magnets and handmade cards!

Sharonlee Mclean

Portland actor Sharonlee Mclean has worked at Portland Center Stage since 1995. She will soon be seen in the up and coming production of "Clybourne Park" and can't wait! Sharonlee has been selling her outer knitwear for a few years now. Her uniquely designed hats, warm and cozy scarf's, neckwarmers, and cowls will be featured at the PCS open house. Sharonlee also has a shop on Etsycalled GARBOGEKNITS.

Turtle Monkey Bug

Turtle Monkey Bug is a mother owned and produced, eco-friendly toy line featuring one-of-a-kind toys that bring art and imagination into the playroom. Products range from dolls and stick ponies to felt moustaches and artist journals. When she’s not designing, cutting and sewing beautiful, handcrafted toys, Heather (the creator of Turtle Monkey Bug) also works part time as a stitcher in PCS Costume Shop.

Unusual Cards

Unusual Cards is a Portland-based stationary company. Their hand-cut greeting cards are unexplainable yet totally fantastic. What can you expect? Lots of 50′s cheesecake pin-ups riding cowgirl on brontosaurs, gigantic

pastries hovering UFO-like over London and

Dick-and-Jane style children hugging gooey undersea creatures. The cards are brought to

you by Francesca Berrini, a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, by using a

process of collage.

What's Cookin' Good Lookin'

Vintage-inspired aprons for kids and adults. Play chef, play with paint, play in the mud—and stay clean! What's Cookin' Good Lookin' specially picks colors and prints, and carefully crafts each piece individually from a vintage pattern. Keep your fancy duds pristine with a vintage-inspired apron. Created by two Portland damsels who both love clothes, colors, design and vintage stuff. They started making and selling aprons and clothes as a way to satisfy their mania for fabrics and prints without going bankrupt! They have a joyous time hand-picking each apron's fabric and putting it all together.

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About PCS

Portland Center Stage inspires our community by bringing stories to life in unexpected ways. Founded in 1988, PCS is the city’s leading professional theater and one of the top 20 largest regional theater companies in the U.S. PCS attracts more than 150,000 theatergoers annually with its blend of classical, contemporary and premiere works, along with its summer playwrights festival, JAW. PCS also offers a variety of education and community programs tailored for patrons of all ages. Its home, the Gerding Theater at the Armory, was the first building on the National Register of Historic Places—and the first performing arts venue—to achieve a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification.